Welcome to the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks

Site Selection Committee

PURPOSE


To recommend a conference site, date, and facility for the Annual Conference to the governing body of the Association.


RESPONSIBILITY

Select the site, date, and hotel/motel facility for the Annual Conference, with facility contract to be completed two years in advance of the conference year. (For example, the Site Selection Committee for the 2004 Conference will be completing its work by the end of August 2002).


COMPOSITION

The President shall appoint a conference selection committee composed of a director from the region where the conference is to be held, two other members from the geographical area, and the Secretary/Treasurer of the Association.


GENERAL BACKGROUND

Conference Site

The policy of the governing body of the N.C. Association of Municipal Clerks shall be to rotate the Annual Conference site among three general locations in the state:

Western/Mountain location
Eastern/Coastal location
Central/Piedmont location


Conference Dates

The traditional date for the Annual Conference is early in the month of August.  The conference generally begins on a Thursday afternoon and ends Saturday evening.  (Master Municipal Clerks Academy programs are sometimes scheduled in conjunction with the conference.  In such instances, the MMC Academy class normally begins Thursday morning and ends Thursday afternoon.)


Conference Facilities

The hotel/motel facility selected for the conference must generally meet the requirements shown below; however, the Chairperson should check with the Secretary/Treasurer of the Association in advance to determine if the suggested numbers shown below should be increased or decreased based on past registrations and attendance.

  • A block of sufficient sleeping rooms (at least 150) and 2 suites.  If there is to be an MMC Academy program on the Thursday morning prior to the conference, a block of approximately 125 rooms should be reserved for Wednesday night.
  • A meeting room for approximately 125 people classroom style for the MMC Session on Thursday.
  • A meeting room for approximately 160 people classroom style for the programs scheduled on Friday and Saturday.
  • Space for vendors and/or sponsors to exhibit, usually an atrium, registration area, or wide hallway near the meeting space; however, a separate room may also be selected if it is near the meeting space and can be easily accessed by delegates attending the conference.  (Keep in mind, vendors are there to interact with clerks and will expect traffic to flow or be directed near their exhibit and booths).


Separate space from the meeting room will be needed for the following meal and event functions:

  1. Thursday continental breakfast for MMC for approximately 125; *
  2. Thursday Luncheon space for MMC for approximately 125;
  3. Thursday evening welcome reception space for approximately 160;
  4. Friday buffet breakfast space for approximately 160, (or if desired, a *continental breakfast may be selected and set up as described below)
  5. Friday luncheon space for approximately 160;
  6. Saturday buffet breakfast space for approximately 160;
  7. Saturday evening reception and banquet space for approximately 225.


*Continental breakfast – The continental breakfast is usually selected for the Thursday MMC session and occasionally selected for Friday morning.  If selected, the continental breakfast may be set up in the same manner as described below for the Beverage and Snack breaks.

*Beverage and Snack Breaks – These may be set up in an atrium, registration area, a hallway outside the meeting space or depending on space availability, set up in the meeting room itself off to the side or in the back of the room.


Additional Space Requirements:

  • A separate room for the Silent Auction that can be kept locked.
  • A registration area adjoining the meeting rooms, preferably with a locked storage area for registration supplies, goody bags, host committee work space, etc.

In selecting a site, the committee should consider:

Accessibility for those traveling long distances - e.g. proximity to an airport, train station or other mode of mass transportation.

Availability and proximity of facilities for a Friday evening dinner and entertainment event which if scheduled off site may require transportation such as a bus service.  Consider also the general availability and proximity of leisure activities and shopping facilities for conference attendees.


PROCEDURES

  1. Before the first meeting of the committee, the Chairperson shall determine potential dates by checking with the N.C. League of Municipalities, the Institute of Government, and IIMC on functions already scheduled in August of the conference year which involve municipal clerks (such as tax collectors' school, finance directors' school) or which might otherwise present conflicts (such as annual conferences of other League affiliates).
  2. After determining available Thursday through Saturday dates in August based on Step 1 above, the Chairperson shall ask each member to check on one or more specific hotel/motel facilities within the geographic area for the conference and determine if the facilities can meet the requirements outlined herein on one or more of the available conference dates.
  3. As a practical matter and a matter of protocol, a committee member assigned to contact a facility that is not located in his or her own municipality should consult the clerk of the municipality in which the facility is located for any input on the quality, reputation, location and suitability of the facility for annual conference activities. In addition, if the proposed site is not in the committee members own municipality, the clerk of the municipality in which the facility is located should be consulted to determine his or her interest in hosting or coordinating with other local clerks in the area to assist in hosting the conference, should the site be chosen.
  4. Site Selection committee members shall request in writing a tentative hold from any facility that can meet the conference requirements on one or more of the potential conference dates. It is also advisable to obtain a written "bid" from the facility with information as to the anticipated room rates, whether complimentary suites or rooms will be provided based on a certain number of paying rooms, the availability and costs (if any) of meeting and event rooms, a layout sketch of the facility, catering menus, information on nearby attractions and entertainment, etc.
  5. When all committee members have completed the work outlined in Step 2 above, the Chairperson shall call a meeting of the committee to review all potential conference dates, sites, and facilities. At this preliminary meeting, the committee shall select the date for the conference if more than one set of dates is being considered and narrow the site and facility down to two or three primary choices. No facility shall be selected as a primary choice unless the committee has written confirmation that the facility is tentatively holding a block of sufficient sleeping rooms and meeting rooms as required for the dates selected.
  6. If the hotel/motel facilities being considered have not previously been used for conferences, the committee may elect to visit one or more of them for an on-site inspection of their facilities and capabilities for adequately handling the conference.
  7. The committee shall hold such other meetings, or communicate through e-mail or conference call, as necessary to complete its work and to inform the President of the committee's recommendation for the site, date, and hotel/motel facility by April 30 two years before the conference. (For example, the President should be informed of the site selection for the 2004 conference by April 30, 2002).
  8. Upon approval of the governing body, the Chairperson shall notify the hotel/motel selected and assist the Secretary/Treasurer in obtaining a written contract or verification from the hotel/motel of the rooms and facilities being held for the conference. The contract should be finalized two full years in advance. (For example, a contract for the 2004 conference should be in place by August 31, 2002.)
  9. The Chairperson shall see that all other hotel/motel space being held on a tentative basis for the conference is released in writing.
  10. The Annual Conference site, date, and hotel/motel facility for the following year shall be announced at the January Clerks' School at the Institute of Government.
  11. Summarize year's events for Annual Report and provide to the Annual Report coordinator by June 1.
  12. The Chairperson, prior to the expiration of his or her term, shall review this portion of the Association Handbook and furnish the incoming President with written recommendations that would improve the efficiency of the committee based on experience in working with these guidelines.


Revised - June 13, 2008